Category: IT Supply Vending Machine

iVendTech – A Smart Way to Manage and Track Your Office Supplies

Posted on by John Van Horn

When productivity and uptime are at stake, the penalties can be expensive, especially when there is no instant access to IT supplies. By providing your employees with 24/7 self-service access to an office vending machine or computer equipment locker, IDS’s office IT vending machine will enable you to reduce wasted time in the IT department and supply room. It does this by resolving your employee’s supply needs with a convenient and exciting solution to this problem.

Our office tech vending machines and supply lockers provide instant, self-service access to IT and office supplies. With our asset and inventory management vending solutions you can provide employees with instant, self-service access to IT and office supplies and a place to securely store devices for repair, replacement, and procurement with a hi-tech device that streamlines your office supply portfolio. This article introduces you to iVendTech, a smart way to manage and track your office supplies. 

What makes iVendTech unique?

The availability of IT assets and supplies is one of IT support’s most significant burdens. Failing to address issues immediately affects the entire company. A lack of IT and office supplies can be frustrating for employees. The pressure of looming deadlines and the inability to check their support requests’ progress can worsen the problem.

iVendTech allows the support team to easily collect requests for new assets, ensure controlled distribution, a document distributed assets, and collect for repair or replacement. With iVendTech’s IT asset management system, all stakeholders can track progress across the entire support lifecycle via web and mobile interfaces.

iVendTech combines supply dispensers, lockers, inventory management software, customizable visibility, and mobile and web alerts into one comprehensive platform. Such an IT asset and supply management solution makes IT hardware disbursement, maintenance, and support intelligent and transparent. 

How Will You Benefit? 

Here’s a glossary of how you would benefit from this platform: 

SECURE INVENTORY MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL – iVendTech’s high-tech vending machines help save money by cutting down on unaccounted supplies. 

Comprehensive Real-time Reporting – In addition to real-time reporting, our reporting features include sales data, re-stock lists, visibility of users, and alerts when inventory runs low.

Increased Productivity – As employees spend less time searching for replaceable office supplies in IT departments and on telephone calls. 

How to Use iVendTech?

Many organizations have adopted the solution of dispensing IT peripherals as needed without supervision. Providing tools and options allowing workers to perform their duties without being bogged down with admin protocols makes them better equipped to increase productivity and effectiveness. Companies can significantly reduce expenditure by providing users with accountability for such resources and products, notably those in IT departments. This is achieved by inspiring staff to be mindful of utilizing supplies and directing their attention towards achieving company objectives rather than personal undertakings.

IDS leverages local employee ID technology to control access to dispensing machines. Administrators can set restrictions based on the user and/or department while also allowing them to track usage trends or misuse. iQ Technology’s IDS software platform can export or integrate transaction data daily, weekly, or monthly into other systems. Custom real-time integration solutions are available for instantaneous data transfer.

Areas of Applicability 

iVendTech can be used across the following areas:

  • New user/repair 
  • Consumables 
  • Travelers 
  • Broken items 
  • 24×7 remote pickup 

Need of the Hour

The inventory management requirements of today pose unprecedented challenges to organizations, which implies that methods of the past may be less effective in today’s complex, error-prone demands and work structure. This is where iVendTech can provide a solution by streamlining your inventory, making it more efficient and profitable. For more information, contact us today!

Provide Employees with Instant Access to the Supplies They Need, When They Need Them

Posted on by John Van Horn

Hardware administration and asset management can be a headache for the IT service desk.  Some organizations utilize the open supply closet approach. With this approach comes uncertainty, frustration, and wasted productivity.  For example, it could be extremely unorganized where you know it will take too long to find what you are looking for. Or even worse, perhaps it is locked and you can never seem to track down an IT service desk rep when your mouse battery has died. 

Did you know you can eliminate your supply room headaches for both your IT service desk staff and users with a Supply Dispenser or a Supply Locker from IDS?  Many companies who wish to streamline their IT processes and bring flexibility to their employees have been turning to smart vending machines to assist the IT service desk.  These IT office vending machines also track supply inventory and asset utilization on back-end systems.

IDS’ Supply Dispensers or ‘smart vending machines’ are the perfect inventory supply management solution for any office environment, whether it be finance, healthcare, professional services, or tech.  Since one organization can have multiple Supply Dispensers dispersed at various places in the office building or across the office campus, employee productivity will increase. For example, instead of having one central supply close, with Supply Dispensers at multiple locations, employees only have to travel to the Supply Dispenser closest to their work area rather than the central supply closet which may be much farther from their work area.   

Do you have larger IT and office supply items such as keyboards or laptops that may not fit into a Supply Dispenser?  Or perhaps you would like an inventory asset management solution for reusable assets. IDS Supply Lockers provide secure storage and dispensing of larger consumables and reusable assets. Our Supply Lockers keep your employees accountable by using a simple check-in and check-out system. Plus, these lockers can be used for will-call, asset management, loan periods and more. 

Using IDS’ Supply Dispensers is simple, as you just scan your ID and dispense the item you need.  There is no need to spend time tracking down an IT service desk rep to open the supply closet or digging through a messy supply closet searching for the specific item you need. With a swipe of your employee badge and the peripheral is logged against your name and tracked at the inventory end.

Decreasing wait times for IT service requests lets workers access replacement laptops to keep them working. A week-long process to get a new laptop can now be supplied in minutes leading to a rise in productivity and associated improvement on returns on investments.

With IDS’ Supply Dispensers and Lockers, office supplies and IT peripherals can be maintained instantly to better manage your stocks. IT will become more efficient, save costs, and improve employee satisfaction.  

Automated supply dispensing allows IT staff and employees to work more efficiently. It also allows companies to monitor the cost, deployment, and use of those supplies to make sure that office supplies and IT peripherals are accounted for.

Automating the distribution of necessary hardware such as keyboards, mice, headsets, cables, and other peripherals keeps employees productive and gives them the business products they want.  With IDS office and IT inventory asset management solutions, your employees will have convenient, secure access supplies they need, no matter what time of day it is. Call us today at 1-855-570-2673 to learn more.

We’re Heading to Orlando for “Work”

Posted on by John Van Horn

We are excited to be heading to gorgeous Orlando, Florida November 9-13 for the Service Management World Show. IDS will be showing off our helpful solutions for managing office and technology supplies. The Service Management World Show from HDI is a great opportunity to hear from service management experts and learn about the latest trends in the industry.

The IDS iVendTech solution reduces costs from untracked office and IT supplies and increases employees’ productivity. Our machines are simple to use, they work 24/7, they don’t take breaks or need vacation time.  

Supply dispensers provide instant access for employees to IT products and other essential office supplies.

https://youtu.be/Gx7S540dE3Y

“I used to be inundated with requests for IT peripherals and other office supplies, said Kyle Williams, IT Support Specialist at GoSpotCheck.”But since implementing the vending machines these requests have dropped to almost none.”

Kyle Williams, IT Support Specialist at GoSpotCheck.

Daniel Bolens is the Desktop Services Specialist at JAMF Software. He calls the IDS iVendTech machines the “perfect solution.” After researching other suppliers he determined “IDS had the best technological solution.”

Daniel Bolens, Desktop Services Specialist at
JAMF Software

For more information about our iVendTech machines for your office and IT supply management give us a call at 1-877-771-4446.

iVendTech: Secure Access to Technology and Office Supplies

Posted on by John Van Horn

Successful businesses are always on the lookout for ways to save time and money. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions incorporates the latest controlled dispensing technology to help businesses and organizations across the globe work more efficiently and save money.  IDS has supply dispensers that provide instant access for employees to IT products and other essential office supplies. Our supply dispensing equipment is a cost effective and instant way to secure supplies while getting them into the hands of those who truly need them.

Employees need access to certain tools in order to perform their job well. Unorganized supply cabinets and locked up technology can lead to time wasted for employees and lack of productivity. IDS’s iVendTech reduces costs from untracked office and IT supplies and increases employees productivity. Our machines are simple to use, they work 24/7, they don’t take breaks or need vacation time. The IDS Supply Dispenser contains a state-of the art control system that allows secure web based interface for 24/7 real-time transactions and reporting. Supply Dispensers track who is taking what supplies and when. There is security, organization and accountability with our machines. No more losing money on lost supplies or wasted time. IDS has APIs that customers can use to integrate with their internal systems. Our machines can use access codes and key cards to enable and track employee access. Your implementation specialist will work with you to customize equipment that works best for your business and organization. IDS also provides leasing programs as well as equipment branding services. If you have any questions during the life of your equipment, we have expert technicians on call ready to help you.

For more information about our iVendTech machines for your office and IT supply management give us a call at 1-877-771-4446.

https://youtu.be/Gx7S540dE3Y

Inventory Management

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions takes pride in being leaders in serving companies manage their inventory. We are working to develop the best software and hardware to help all types of organizations save money.

“What we do at IDS is: How can we help with managing your operations?” said IDS VP of Sale John Van Horn. “So we put our efforts into our software from a managing perspective. Managing what you have and that could vary.”

Our inventory management and control solutions are designed to save you time and money. IDS has designed many successful applications to assist businesses, EMS, schools and hospitals securely dispense important supplies. Our applications are used to track supplies, sell products and control dispensing.

Companies spend a great deal of money either tracking inventory or losing money from “lost” invent. IDS has inventory management and control solutions that are easy, effective and automated so supplies and inventory can get in the hands of those they were intended for when they need it. We understand that for any organization it’s about the money.

“Historically 30% has been saved by using our equipment,” said Van Horn.

IDS is committed to working with our clients to create money saving solutions that allow them to spend time and money on responsibilities other than inventory control. Call us today at 1-877-771-4446 to learn how we can help you.

Vending Machines Aren’t Just for Snacks

Posted on by John Van Horn

                  It is most common for people to associate vending machines as only serving food and drinks. However, more and more we are seeing vending machines that have a variety of uses besides dispensing food. Businesses are understanding the value of convenience and the ease with which products can be stored and delivered in non-food vending machines. Vending machines also provide a secure location for items and easy tracking and inventory information.

                  Companies are learning that vending machines help them get their products in front of their possible customers sooner. A recent Small Business Trends article titled “Vending Machines Aren’t Just for Snacks Anymore” noted that companies are selling jackets and headphones out of electronics vending machines in airports. Vending machines help companies go to their customers rather than on relying their customers coming to them. In addition to airports, schools and universities are becoming popular places to place non-traditional vending machines.  These machines can help travelers that are missing something they want for their trip or a student who needs a piece of technology for class.  Fitness centers are also great places to reach a target market through automated dispensing. Just like in traditional snack vending where location is important and a business profits when they can take their product to where people interested in their product already are.

iVendTech Satellite Machine

                  Organizations are also learning how vending machines are efficient and cost effective ways to get necessary supplies to their own employees. Businesses can use vending machines to track supplies, so they know exactly who is taking the supplies, and can limit how many workers can take. Employees can also take supplies 24/7 and do not need to wait on anyone else to access what they need. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions had been very successful helping hospitals dispense and sort their scrubs and other medical supplies. IDS also has helped fire departments track and dispense emergency supplies. Improved inventory management with vending machines is helping organizations save money and better serve their workers.

             We will let other companies get customers snacks and drink. We are proud to be on the cutting edge of automated inventory management systems helping businesses save time and money. Helping companies develop automated retail plans to reach their target market is important to us. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is excited about the future of vending and the growing awareness and opportunities to vend non-food items. Do you have an idea of something you would like to vend but need helping making it happen? Contact us today at 1-877-771-4446. We would love to learn how we can serve you!

IDS New Web Service Features

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is excited to announce new web service features that will enhance reporting and accountability allowing you to further streamline administration costs. The new features include: Supply Room, Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets as well as Transaction Reporting.

Supply Room

Supply Room makes sure that you always have the items needed to restock your machine.  With Supply Room you can set critical alert level and par levels for items that are ready to be stocked in your IDS UCapit machine(s) and items that will remain stocked on the shelf. You can be alerted when you need to reorder products and if you need to restock products. Soon this service feature will include the ability to run purchase orders based on your supply levels in both machine and supply room.

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets provide the ability to better manage tasks by creating your own checklist. The checklists tracks who completed a task and when. A completed task can be reported automatically by sending an email to the designated crew member. The completed checklist is easy to share with those on your team as well.

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets provide the ability to better manage tasks by creating your own checklist. The checklists tracks who completed a task and when. A completed task can be reported automatically by sending an email to the designated crew member. The completed checklist is easy to share with those on your team as well.

Transaction Reporting

In the Transaction Reporting feature the allocation displays automatically when a report in run. For example, if you are prompting your crew members to enter the Run Number and Unit Number it will automatically display with the individual transaction record without having the change the account setting. Also, when you check the ‘Customize Columns’ box, further options for returning the data you want appears. You can now make selections for displaying the Lot Number and Expiration Dates. This means that the individual Lot Number and Expiration Date will display for each individual product that has been dispensed. Remember that any time you run a particular query, you can automate it.

IDS Advancing Technology

IDS expects to continue improving our solutions in order to provide your organization with increased value. Please contact us to schedule an online demo on these new web service features or have general questions about optimizing your use of the IDS UCapIt solution.

The Hidden Cost of Cheap Machines

Posted on by John Van Horn

 

You may be tempted to buy an inexpensive dispensing machine as a way to cut costs and bulk up your bottom line, but you’ll probably want to rethink this. Though they are tempting, cheap vending machines come with many hidden costs.

Most of these dispensing machines have extremely limited capabilities and limited  upgrade options making them cost more than they are actually worth. Helix machines (traditional candy bar-type dispensers with a coil screw holding the product) are designed for low-SKU count, high-turnover applications. These machines work well in applications where the facility is using a high-volume of few products but won’t work well for most other applications such as manufacturing floors or EMS facilities that generally require high SKU and low volume machines. Cost-per-bin of helix machines is significantly higher than industry leading machines due to low-SKU count capabilities. In short, if you are looking for a machine that will help you  distribute a variety of product, this isn’t it.

Additionally,  low cost machines have some generally unknown fees and costs. Most maintenance, repair and operations supplies have to be repackaged in order to work in a low cost machine. This can only be done manually and can be incredibly labor intensive!

Most importantly, these machines are typically seriously lacking from a software standpoint.

Technological capabilities helix machines are missing include:

  • First-In, First-Out technology
  • Inventory algorithms for their replenishment systems
  • Easy integration into suppliers’ backend ERP systems
  • Managing both consigned inventory and end user owner inventory
  • They rely on remotely hosted web servers and so have limited onboard memory as well as potential to crash when internet connection is lost

The distributors selling these cheap dispensing machines don’t inform customers about these high costs. Instead, they just pass buyers along to their price per unit for their tools and supplies.

On the other hand, industry leaders in distribution are moving rapidly to more intelligent supply vending machines in order to keep their total costs globally competitive.

When you automate inventory management with an intelligent dispensing solution, you can replicate best practices and standardize business processes across your entire organization. The flexibility of our equipment along with iQ Technology offers an ideal asset management solution across almost any industry or application.  Equip your organization with the most seamless, technologically advanced inventory tracking system in the world.

Automated dispensing will lower your inventory costs and improve productivity while ultimately improving your organization’s bottom line.

For more information about our vending machines, visit www.idsvending.com .

6 Small Ways To Show Employees They’re Valued

Posted on by John Van Horn

It’s a little-known fact, but this time of year is infamous for employee turnover. Because we associate the launch of the school year with new beginnings, many employees see this as a prime time to give their two-weeks notice.

We all know the various costs and headaches associated with employee turnover – recruiting and training costs, and negotiating salaries can cause a cosmic shift on your balance sheet. So what steps can you take TODAY to keep the All-Stars on your team?

Your employee retention strategy should be in effect from Day One – but there are definitely some quick pick-me-ups you can offer your employees to keep them happy. Here are 6 ways to show employees that they are appreciated and valued, and keep them excited to stick with your team!

1: Entrust your employees with important decisions.

By showing your workers that you trust them to make educated, smart choices, it empowers them and breeds trust and goodwill.

2: Let employees reward each other.

Create a program where employees can reward one another, either with compliments or physical rewards. This creates a real team-player vibe and helps build solid connections between coworkers.

3: Show intention, interest, and empathy.

Bosses tend to have an aura of inaccessibility around them. Bond with employees by showing interest in their opinions, exhibiting intention when you speak with them, and empathizing with their concerns, whether personal or professional.  

4: Employee bonding events.

These don’t have to be costly, all-out affairs: a simple movie night will do the trick. Bonding in a non-corporate setting is super-important when building a team that employees want to stick with.

5: Take care of their needs.

Feeling taken care of and secure is like glue for employee retention. We stress this a lot with our iVendTech customers: by providing an office supplies vending machine, you’re not just monitoring your inventory effectively, you’re showing your employees you want them to succeed.

6: REWARDS.

Of course, no one is going to turn down a bonus or some other thoughtful gift! Gift cards, cool gadgets, or even days off are great incentives that keep employees coming back for more – and performing at their best!

We hope this article was informative and helpful for your business – let us know in the comments if you have another strategy we didn’t name! And be sure to check out our IT supplies vending machines on our site.

iVendTech – How a Vending Machine In Your Office Can Benefit Business Travelers

Posted on by John Van Horn

IDS Office Supply System is the answer to a simple desire of many businesses: We want to vend & track supplies for our employees. It proves there are no limits to intelligent dispensing. Now everything from ballpoint pens to keyboards can be dispensed from this versatile machine.

An IDS office supply vending machine offers many benefits like the ability to place products where they are needed 24/7 while reducing or in some cases eliminating office supply cabinets and drawers. Everything is secure and trackable letting you concentrate on your core business and not on keeping track of your supplies.

An employee arrives at an office that is not their home office and is in need of IT peripherals to accomplish their work. Examples might be a laptop power supply or security dongle. An on-demand electronics vending machine would allow the user to procure the item quickly.

An Employee can go to the machine and input their employee ID or swipe their ID card at the machine to initiate a dispensing session. The machine then sends ID/PIN to the server for authentication and restriction information is retrieved from the database (restriction information is based on departmental limits or other criteria as desired). If the employee is validated the dispensing session continues, otherwise the dispensing session terminates.

Tracking of products is easy. Transaction information is sent to the database including: time and date, account, site, machine, product(s) dispensed, and employee name or ID.

For office supplies and IT management we highly recommend that you check out the iVendTech site and features.